Career and Education Opportunities for School Psychologists in Burlington, Vermont

There is a wide variety of career and education opportunities for school psychologists in the Burlington, Vermont area. About 700 people are currently employed as school psychologists in Vermont. By 2016, this is expected to grow by 10% to 770 people employed. This is not quite as good as the nation as a whole, where employment opportunities for school psychologists are expected to grow by about 11.1%. In general, school psychologists investigate processes of learning and teaching and develop psychological principles and techniques applicable to educational problems.

School psychologists earn about $28 hourly or $58,300 yearly on average in Vermont and about $30 per hour or $64,140 yearly on average nationally. Compared with people working in the overall category of Social Sciences, people working as school psychologists in Vermont earn less. They earn less than people working in the overall category of Social Sciences nationally. School psychologists work in a variety of jobs, including: behavioral analyst, assessment specialist, and school psychological examiner.

There are six schools within twenty-five miles of Burlington where you can study to be a school psychologist, among seventeen schools of higher education total in the Burlington area. Given that the most common education level for school psychologists is a post-Master's certificate, you can expect to spend little over two years training to become a school psychologist if you already have a Bachelor's degree, or a short time starting with a Master's degree.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: School Psychologist

In general, school psychologists investigate processes of learning and teaching and develop psychological principles and techniques applicable to educational problems.

School psychologists furnish consultation to parents and others on topics such as learning styles and behavior modification techniques. They also assess an individual child's needs and potential, using observation, review of school records, and consultation with parents and school personnel. Equally important, school psychologists have to compile and interpret students' test results, along with data from teachers and parents, to diagnose conditions, and to help assess eligibility for special services. They are often called upon to promote an understanding of child development and its relationship to learning and behavior. They are expected to refer students and their families to appropriate community agencies for medical or social services. Finally, school psychologists initiate and direct efforts to foster tolerance and appreciation of diversity in school communities.

Every day, school psychologists are expected to be able to articulate ideas and problems. They need to listen to and understand others in meetings. It is also important that they piece together evidence to, in some sense, diagnose what is going on in a situation.

It is important for school psychologists to layout classes and programs to meet the needs of special students. They are often called upon to attend workshops or professional meetings to remain informed of new developments in school psychology. They also conduct research to generate new knowledge that can be used to address learning and behavior issues. They are sometimes expected to report any pertinent data to the proper authorities in cases of child endangerment or abuse. Somewhat less frequently, school psychologists are also expected to refer students and their families to appropriate community agencies for medical or social services.

School psychologists sometimes are asked to maintain student records, including special education reports, confidential records, records of services provided, and behavioral data. They also have to be able to collect and analyze data to review the effectiveness of academic programs and other services and furnish educational programs on topics such as classroom management or parenting skills. And finally, they sometimes have to serve as a resource to help families and schools deal with crises.

Like many other jobs, school psychologists must believe in cooperation and coordination and have exceptional integrity.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Burlington include:

Economist. Conduct research, prepare reports, or formulate plans to aid in solution of economic problems arising from production and distribution of goods and services. May collect and process economic and statistical data using econometric and sampling techniques.

Geographic Information Systems Analyst. Study nature and use of areas of earth's surface, relating and interpreting interactions of physical and cultural phenomena. Conduct research on physical aspects of a region, including land forms, climates, soils, plants and animals, and conduct research on the spatial implications of human activities within a given area, including social characteristics, economic activities, and political organization, as well as researching interdependence between regions at scales ranging from local to global.

Historian. Research, analyze, and interpret the past as recorded in sources, such as government and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters.

Industrial Psychologist. Apply principles of psychology to personnel, administration, and marketing problems. Activities may include policy planning; employee screening, training and development; and organizational development and analysis. May work with management to reorganize the work setting to improve worker productivity.

Market Research Analyst. Research market conditions in local, regional, or national areas to determine potential sales of a product or service. May gather information on competitors, prices, and methods of marketing and distribution. May use survey results to create a marketing campaign based on regional preferences and buying habits.

Market Survey Representative. Design or conduct surveys. May supervise interviewers who conduct the survey in person or over the telephone. May present survey results to client.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: School Psychologist Training

Johnson State College - Johnson, VT

Johnson State College, 337 College Hill, Johnson, VT 05656-9464. Johnson State College is a small college located in Johnson, Vermont. It is a public school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 1,850 students and an admission rate of 82%. Johnson State College has 2 areas of study related to School Psychologist. They are:

Psychology, bachelor's degree which graduated 48 students in 2008.

Counseling Psychology, master's degree which graduated 20 students in 2008.

University of Vermont - Burlington, VT

University of Vermont, 85 S Prospect St, Burlington, VT 05405-0160. University of Vermont is a large university located in Burlington, Vermont. It is a public school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 12,800 students and an admission rate of 65%. University of Vermont has bachelor's degree, master's degree, and doctor's degree programs in Psychology which graduated eleven, one, and eight students respectively in 2008.

Burlington College - Burlington, VT

Burlington College, 95 North Ave, Burlington, VT 05401. Burlington College is a small college located in Burlington, Vermont. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 156 students and an admission rate of 54%. Burlington College has a bachelor's degree program in Psychology which graduated three students in 2008.

Norwich University - Northfield, VT

Norwich University, 158 Harmon Drive, Northfield, VT 05663-1035. Norwich University is a small university located in Northfield, Vermont. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 3,322 students and an admission rate of 66%. Norwich University has a bachelor's degree program in Psychology which graduated seventeen students in 2008.

Saint Michaels College - Colchester, VT

Saint Michaels College, One Winooski Park, Colchester, VT 05439. Saint Michaels College is a small college located in Colchester, Vermont. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 2,428 students and an admission rate of 69%. Saint Michaels College has 2 areas of study related to School Psychologist. They are:

Psychology, bachelor's degree which graduated 13 students in 2008.

Clinical Psychology, master's degree which graduated 11 students in 2008.

SUNY College at Plattsburgh - Plattsburgh, NY

SUNY College at Plattsburgh, 101 Broad Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901-2681. SUNY College at Plattsburgh is a medium sized college located in Plattsburgh, New York. It is a public school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 6,358 students and an admission rate of 49%. SUNY College at Plattsburgh has a bachelor's degree program in Psychology which graduated ninety-eight students in 2008.

CERTIFICATIONS

Certified Vocational Evaluation Specialist:
The Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) believes that individuals certified as vocational assessment professionals (CVE, CWA, and CCAA) must continue to expand their skills to enhance the quality of services they provide.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Burlington, Vermont

Burlington, Vermont photo by Avala

Burlington is situated in Chittenden County, Vermont. It has a population of over 38,897. The cost of living index in Burlington, 102, is near the national average. New single-family homes in Burlington cost $152,400 on average, which is far less than the state average. In 2008, five new homes were constructed in Burlington, down from eight the previous year.

The three big industries for women in Burlington are educational services, health care, and accommodation and food services. For men, it is educational services, accommodation and food services, and professional, scientific, and technical services. The average travel time to work is about 17 minutes. More than 42.0% of Burlington residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 15.6%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Burlington is 5.2%, which is less than Vermont's average of 5.9%. About 20.0% of Burlington's residents are below the poverty line, which is worse than the state average.

The percentage of Burlington residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 39.8%, is less than both the national and state average. Saint Mark Church, Champlain Valley Baptist Church and Church of God in Christ are some of the churches located in Burlington. The most common religious groups are the Catholic Church, the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church.

Burlington is home to the South Breakwater Light and the Vermont State Craft Center Shelburne Farms as well as Ethan Allen Park and Head of Church Street Historic District. Shopping malls in the area include Church Street Marketplace Shopping Center, North Avenue Shopping Center and Burlington Square Shopping Center. Visitors to Burlington can choose from Holiday Inn, Radisson Hotel Burlington and Champlain Inn for temporary stays in the area.